Pre Boro: Harps

Having made the number one position his own since the departure of Shay Given to Man City, it hasn`t exactly been the happiest of returns to the side for Steve Harper. Probably conceding more goals that at any time in our recent history, Harps has called for us to end the current home hoodoo with a win over the Beasts, saying:

'You look back at the games earlier in the season that have cost us, like the equalisers against Wigan, Stoke and Manchester City - there's six points there. If we had beaten Hull at home, we would be out of the bottom three, but how far do you go back? We can't look back now - those games have gone. We have got three fixtures we can win, and we are going to try to win them all.

We have got to do the job. We have got the get the maximum points we can from the next three games, including two massive home games. This is a very tough league. We haven't performed for 90 minutes often enough. We have got to do that in the next three games because the Premier League is not a forgiving environment. We have got to do it for 90 minutes, or you are punished, as we have been by Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

A break or a decision would be nice. Mark Viduka had a great chance in the first half [against Liverpool], but he was given offside by the referee and the linesman hadn't given it. You would think he was going to score, and then the first goal [from Yossi Benayoun] was offside. We are due a break, a decision or a ricochet. We just need a bit of luck and hopefully, we will get some on Monday night.'

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